Aerospike for attachment to space vehicle system
OwnerThomas C. Taylor, Peter Cernainventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aerospike is adapted to be attached to the front nose of an aerodynamically asymmetric space vehicle system, such as the external tank and orbiter of the space shuttle. The aerospike basically comprises a tapered elongated portion having a first end which is adapted to be attached to the nose of the space vehicle, and a second free end terminating in a substantially rounded disc-like tip member. Use of the spike reduces aerodynamic heating and drag during ascent of the space vehicle into its orbital position, provides an attachment point for tether operations and for propellant recovery, and permits transportion of an external tank into its orbit.
Claims23
An aerospike adapted to be attached to a nose of a space vehicle, said aerospike comprising an elongated portion having a first end which is adapted to be attached to said nose and a second end distant from said nose, said aerospike further comprising a disc-shaped tip member with a substantially curved front surface which is integrally formed with said second end of said elongated portion, said elongated portion comprising means for attaching said vehicle to another object in space, either said other object or said space vehicle further comprising a tether cord attached to said disc-shaped tip member, said tether cord and said tip together comprising means for attaching said vehicle to said other object in space and for pulling both said vehicle and said other object to a higher orbit, said elongated portion and said disc-shaped tip member together comprising means for reducing the aerodynamic drag of said space vehicle to which said aerospike is adapted to be attached during ascent of said vehicle into an orbital position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.